Combustion apparatus



April 2, 1968 L, PALMER ET AL 3,376,100

COMBUSTION APPARATUS Filed May 20, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l mu INVENTORS.LANDON L. PALMER ERNEST W. WEAVER, SR.

United States Patent thee 3,376,100 Patented Apr. 2, 1968 3,376,160COMBUSTION APPARATUS Landon L. Palmer and Ernest W. Weaver, Sn, Toledo,.Ohio, assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, to Alfred E. Rhoden,Toledo, Ohio Filed May 20, 1966, Ser. No. 551,766 6 Claims. (Cl. 431-36)ABSTRACT (IF THE DISCLOSURE Combustion apparatus in which fuel isgravity fed from an air tight container through a valve in a fine,continuous stream to a vaporizer. Heat from the vaporizer is preventedfrom vaporizing fuel behind the valve so that an exact control over theamount of fuel vaporized, and thus burned, is maintained. Vaporized fuelis fed back to the container to maintain a desired equilibrium ofpressure.

This invention relates to combustion apparatus in general, and,particularly to portable combustion apparatus which may be used toprovide light, or heat for cooking, and in which vaporizable liquid fuelis used.

There have been a great many attempts in the past to improve theefficiency and safety of heating and lighting devices, particularly ofthe portable variety. For example, forced air feeds to increase theamount of combustible mixture available for consumption have improvedthese devices, but have also increased the original cost, maintenance,and problems in handling and storage since most of the devices work fromliquid fuels which are highly inflammable and explosive in certainmixtures. Most developments have come in the area wherein the liquidfuel utilized is gasoline. While combustion apparatus which utilizesgasoline is satisfactory in some instances, the nature of the vapor fromthe gasoline makes it dangerous for use aboard boats and in enclosedareas since the gasoline vapor is heavier than air and tends to collectin the bottom or bilge area of a boat, in the bottom of an enclosedarea, and thus is not readily removable by ordinary ventilating systems.Further, if a fire does occur from the use of gasoline, it is dilficultto extinguish. Gasoline may also be toxic in contacts with clothes andskin.

While the apparatus disclosed and described herein may use a hydrocarbonfuel such as gasoline, it provides a superior performance with analcohol such as methyl or ethyl. An alcohol fire can be doused withwater since the alcohol is miscible with water while gasoline andkerosene are not. Alcohol is not toxic to the skin or objectionable forcontact with clothes. If methyl alcohol is utilized, the combustion endproduct of CO is more readily attained with ordinary amounts of oxygenavailable in the air and subsequent efliciency of combustion will avoidthe production of CO, thereby avoiding the toxicity of carbon monoxide.This is not true with the fuels having more carbon such as gasoline.Further, alcohol vapor is easily removable by ordinary ventilatingsystems. However, prior efforts to provide combustion apparatus foralcohol, particularly for use as a lamp, have not proved satisfactory.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedcombustion apparatus.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improvedcombustion apparatus which may be utilized to provide light, act as aspace heater, or to provide heat for cooking and other uses.

A still further object of this invention is to provide improvedcombustion apparatus including a closed fuel system, which is safe andeasily operable, and which reduces moving parts to a minimum, therebyreducing maintenance problems.

The invention features combustion apparatus which comprises a fuelcontainer adapted to be made air tight and a vaporizer means connectedto and adapted to vaporize fuel from the container. Means are providedfor regulating fuel flow from the container to the vaporizer. Mixer andburner means are connected to the vaporizer. The container is disposedto provide fuel to the vaporizer by a gravity feed. The burner portionof the mixer and bunner means is disposed to heat the vaporizer. Meansare provided for feeding back vaporized fuel under pressure to the fuelcontainer. The connecting means between the container and the vaporizeris advantageously made from a material having a relatively low heatconductivity. The vaporizer is preferably made from material having highheat conductivity and further having internal and external fins to aidin the conduction of heat from the burner means to the fuel inside thevaporizer.

The combustion apparatus may further include a starting burner meansdisposed to heat the vaporizer. The starting burner means may be alsoutilized to ignite the main burner means. The vapor feed back means mayinclude a check valve means to prevent fuel flow therethrough from thefuel container to the vaporizer. Means are provided for selectivelydiverting part of the heat from the main burner means away from thevaporizer. If the burner means is being utilized to provide light, anincandescent means is disposed adjacent the burner which is responsiveto heat to provide light. If the combustion apparatus is being utilizedas a stove or other heating means, then a support grill or other meansmay be utilized to sup port items to be heated above the burner means.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will becomeapparent when the following description is taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the combustion apparatus embodying theteachings of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus illustrated inFIGURE 1, taken partly in section along the lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the apparatus of FIGURE 2, takenpartly in section along the lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate fuel feeding devicefor use herein.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated combustion apparatusembodying the teachings of this invention which comprises a fuel tank orcontainer 11 having a strainer means 12 situated in the fuel feed portat the bottom of the tank or container 11. The tank 11 is connected to avaporizer means 22 via a flow regulating means 13. The means 13 maycomprise a valve means which is utilized to provide flow control for thefuel and to shut off the flow of the fuel entirely. A liquid fuel tube14 having a U-shaped fuel collection section connects the flowregulating means 13 to a vaporizer extension 15. The vaporizer extension15 is preferably made of stainless steel or some similarly relativelylow heat conductivity material, so that liquid fuel will not bepartially vaporized in the liquid fuel feed tube 14. The vaporizer means22 has a plurality of internal and external fins 22a and 22b to improveheat conductivity from the exterior of the vaporizer 22 to the interiorthereof.

The vaporizer 22 is connected via a conduit 21 to a mixer and burnerassembly 18. This may be any conventional fuel gas or vapor burningdevice suitable for use herein, for example, one in which a jet ofvaporized fuel entrains air through an adjustable air shutter in themixer portion 18a and presents the mixture at the burner tip 18b forburning. A conduit 16 provides for entry for atmospheric air to themixer and burner assembly 18 inside an inner housing 20a which excludesentry of combustion products from inside of housing 20. A perforated topplate 19 of the housing 20 provides release upwardly for the products ofcombustion from housing 20 and a draft effect for inner housing 20a.Referring to FIGURE 3, it will also be noted that vents 19a have beenprovided between the top plate 19' and the housing 20 to provide furtherexit areas for the products of combustion.

Support means generally indicated at 23 may include upright standards23b and horizontal foot plates 23a to support the combustion apparatus.Strut means 27a and fastening means 27b may be provided to retain inplace a perforated globe support 27. A glass globe 26 may be then heldsecurely between the globe support 27 and the housing 20. If thecombustion apparatus is being utilized for lighting purposes, a mantleor other suitable incandescent means is supported adjacent the burner18b to provide incandescence and light in response to heat 'from theburner 18b.

A starting burner means indicated generally at 24 is advantageously usedto heat the vaporizer to get the lamp started. The starting burner 24may comprise an enclosure or casing 24a having a rock wool fiber orother porous fuel storage means 24b encased in the enclosure 24a andheld in position by a porous chimney means 240, which may be insulatingfire brick. Alcohol or other suitable fuel is poured into the porousfuel storage area 2412 through a port, not shown, preferably until thefuel storage area is saturated. The fuel will proceed to the interior ofthe chimney through the porous or pervious chimney liner 24c bycapillary action. The starting burner 24 may be ignited by inserting aflame through a perforation 270 in the globe support 27 and into theinterior of the chimney 240. The starting burner 24 may be shut off byinserting a plug into the chimney 240. The starting burner 24 may bemade an integral part of the globe support 27. Sufficient fuel may beput into the fuel absorbing area 24b of the starting burner to provideignition of the main combustion apparatus.

In operation, the valve or flow regulating means 13 is closed and liquidfuel, preferably alcohol, is put into the tank 11. The vaporizer 22 isthen heated for a short time by the starting burner 24. Valve means 13is opened to provide a flow of liquid fuel to the vaporizer means 22.The liquid fuel is vaporized in the vaporizer 22 which is preferablymade of material such as brass which has a good heat conductivity, withthe exterior and interior ribs 22a and 22b assisting in heat transfer tothe interior of the vaporizer 22. The fuel is vaporized and is fed underpressure through conduit 21 to the mixer means 18a. A jet of vaporizedfuel entrains air through an adjustable air shutter and feeds themixture to the burner burner 18b is ignited and the combustion apparatusis in operation.

After a flame appears at burner 18b, the starting burner may be shutoff. The flame from 18b heats the vaporizer 22 to continue thevaporizing action. A portion of the vapor from the vaporizer 22 is fedback through conduit 17 to the fuel tank or container 11. This equalizesthe pressure and allows fuel to be fed by gravity at the desired ratethrough the flow regulating means 13. A check valve or other means 17amay be included in the conduit 17 to prevent accidental sloshing orfeeding of fuel back through conduit 17 to the vaporizer. Further, theuse of a check valve 17a enables the connection of the feed back line 17to any portion of the tank 11, even below fuel level. However, in mostinstances the feed back line 17 may be connected at the top of the fueltank thereby al lowing the use of the combustion apparatus without thecheck valve 17a. If the combustion apparatus is to be used aboard a boator in other circumstances where there may be considerable pitching andmoving about of the combustion apparatus, then the check valve 17a maybe desirable. It is advantageous to provide a sized orifice 17b in theoutlet end of the feed back conduit 17 in order to maintain a desiredbalance of pressure or an equilibrium 18b. The

between the tank 11 and vaporizer 22 for a desired flow rate to the tankand to the burner.

The brightness of the light and/ or the rate of fuel burning at theburner tip 18b is regulated by the valve 13. Therefore, if more heat isrequired for heating material placed above the burner 18b the valve 13may be opened further. In some instances, the vents 19a at the side ofthe housing 29 may be sufficient to vent the combustion products and toprovide the heat necessary for items placed directly on the perforatedtop plate 19. However, if it is desired to expose the hot combustionproducts to a bigger under surface of the item being heated, a grillmeans 29, such as a Wire mesh grill or other suitable apparatus, may besnapped in place on top of the perforated top plate 19 allowing thecombustion products to go up through the perforations in the plate 19and transfer heat to the bottom of the item being heated.

Referring to FIGURE 3, it will be noted that there is provided a doublechimney or flue arrangement having separate chimneys 41 and 42. Dampermeans 28 mounted on a shaft 28a and turnable by knob 28b (FIGURE 1) isprovided to selectively divert a part of the heat away from thevaporizer 22. Under normal operations, the damper means 28 is opened toa position resting against the outer wall of the chimney 42 and, in thisinstance, the housing 20. However, if the combustion apparatus is beingoperated in a very cold or very windy location, it may be necessary toclose the damper means 28 to the position shown in FIGURE 3 to pass allof the exhaust combustion products from the burner 18b past thevaporizer 22 located in chimney 41. This insures sufiicient heat tocause the combustion apparatus to continue operation under even the mostadverse conditions.

Any liquid fuel can be used in the combustion apparatus, but it ispreferably a fuel that will vaporize without leaving any appreciableresidue such as tar, carbon or gum. Such. fuels include methyl or ethylalcohols or petroleum distillates or mixtures of these.

Although the combustion apparatus as shown in the embodiments herein hasthe components thereof arranged for most advantageous use as a lampprimarily and as a heating device secondarily, it is evident that thecompo nents can be rearranged or modified to be used as a space heateror a cooking stove primarily. Further, conventional mixing and burningapparatus may be substituted so that the fuel is burned as a torchsuitable for metal work.

However, the principles of operation are shown in the embodimentillustrated herein which provide a combustron apparatus having a minimumnumber of moving parts, virtually no maintenance problems, and whichprovides a combustion apparatus for providing light or heat and which issafe for operation under any conditions and in any location.

Referring again to FIGURE 2, it should be noted that a fuel line 50 maybe connected between the tank 11 or, as shown, the bottom of the U ofthe U-shaped liquid fuel tube 14 and the starter burner 24. A valvemeans 51 is provided in fuel line 50. The valve 51 may be adapted tometer a predetermined starting charge of fuel to the starting burner 24.The burner 24 may then be utilized as hereinbefore described.

Alternatively, the valve means 51 may be adapted to provide a continuousflow of fuel to burner 24. The burner 24 may then be ignited and burnedcontinuously as a source of heat for the vaporizer, acting as asecondary burner. The burner 18b is then free to be moved to anyposition desired to furnish light from a different angle or to be movedcloser to a cooking support to provide more heat for cooking. Theapparatus may now be viewed as having burner means, which includes aprimary burner 18b as a primary source of heat and light, and asecondary burner 24 which may be used for starting and for maintainingthe vaporizer hot. The first arrangement is preferable when using theapparatus as a light since less fuel is consumed.

Referring to FIGURE 4, there is illustrated an alternative embodiment ofa vaporizer and valve control means that may be utilized in theapparatus illustrated in FIG- URES 1 through 3. A vaporizer 62 may beutilized which is similar to the vaporizer of the other embodiment, thisvaporizer also having a feed back conduit 67 and a mixerburner feedingconduit 61. However, the vaporizer extension of FIGURE 2 has beeneliminated and replaced with a needle-valve seat extension generallyindicated at 70, which is secured to vaporizer 62 by a male-femalethreading arrangement. A large radial fin member 71 may abut against thehousing when the extension 70 has been connected to vaporizer 62. Aneedle-valve seat 73 is formed in the opposite end of the extension 70.

A cap-elbow member 80 is attached to the left end of extension 70 bymale-female threading arrangements or other suitable means. The member80 has a passage 81 for connection to the fuel tank 11 or liquid fueltube 14 so that fuel is received from the tank for transmission to thevaporizer. A threaded opening 82 is formed in member 80 to receive andguide a needle valve 83 having threads 84 formed thereon which arecomplementary with threads 82. The threads 82 and 84 cooperate to guideand to provide for advancement to and retraction from the needle means86 in and out of the needle-valve seat 73 4 formed in extension 70. Inactual practice, an additional cap having compressible packing materialtherein may be attached to member 80 around the stem 87 of the needlevalve 83 as is well known in the prior art to control possible leaksthrough the threads 82, 84.

Radiation bafiie means 90 are placed inside vaporizer 62 and may extendinto extension 70. The means 90 may comprise copper strips, stainlesssteel strips, glass fibers or strips of other material which are notaffected by fuel or heat. The primary purpose of the material 90 is toeffeet a baffling of heat radiation from the vaporizer 62 to the needlevalve seat 73 to prevent liquid behind the valve seat from formingpockets of vapor which might interfere with the steady flow of fuelthrough the needle valve arrangement. The material 90 is not so tightlypacked as to require a wick type passage of fuel therethrough, but thestrips, fibers, etc., are sufliciently close together to perform theradiation bafiling function. Other types of radiation bafiles may beused between the vaporizer and the needle valve.

In operation, the apparatus of FIGURE 4 receives fuel from the tube 14or tank 11. The valve 13 of FIGURE 2 may now be a completely on or offtype to provide an additional safety factor and fuel saving device.Liquid fuel is then delivered to the needle valve arrangement of member80-extension 70. Under pressure of gravity and the balancing vaporfeedback pressure a fine, continuous stream of fuel is delivered to thevaporizer 62 for vaporization. The needle valve arrangement thus allowsa very fine control of fuel delivered and a continuous vaporization ofthe delivered fuel. This is particularly important when smallerquantities of fuel are being delivered when the light is turned downlow. Adjustment of fuel delivery and thus the intensity of the light iscontrolled by the needle valve arrangement.

In contrast, the apparatus of FIGURE 2 delivers fuel over the left inneredge of the extension 15. While this is operational and provides goodlight and heat, the flow over the edge may be discontinuous on occasionbecause of the type of fuel, surface tension, very small fuel flow, etc.This results in discontinuous vaporization which, although it does notinterfere with the operation, may cause varying intensities of lightwhen operated at the dimmer levels.

It is to be noted that proportional dimensions shown in the drawings arewithout significance since in some cases dimensions have been enlargedto clearly show the invention. It is also apparent that, within thescope of this invention, modifications may be made as discussedhereinbefore, the present disclosure being merely illustrative and thefollowing claims covering all variations thereof.

We claim:

1. Combustion apparatus comprising a fuel container adapted to be madeairtight, a vaporizer adapted to vaporize fuel from said container,means for regulating fuel flow and the rate of fuel consumption fromsaid container to said vaporizer including a needle valve at one end ofthe vaporizer for delivering a fine and continuous stream of fueldirectly into the vaporizer, mixer and burner means connected adjacentthe other end of the vaporizer to receive vaporized fuel directly fromsaid vaporizer, said container being disposed to provide fuel to saidneedle valve and said vaporizer by gravity feed, means disposed to heatsaid vaporizer, mean for preventing the heat of and in said vaporizerfrom vaporizing fuel behind said needle valve, and means for feedingback vaporized fuel to said fuel container to equalize pressures andpermit gravity flow of fuel from said container.

2. Combustion apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said heatpreventing means includes connecting means between said needle valve andvaporizer which is constructed to have relatively low heat conductivity.

3. Combustion apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said vaporizedfuel feed back means includes check valve means to prevent fuel flowtherethrough from said container.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said heat preventing meansincludes radiation battle means between said vaporizer and said needlevalve.

5. Combustion apparatus comprising a fuel container adapted to be madeair tight, a vaporizer adapted to vaporize fuel from said container,means for regulating fuel flow from said container to said vaporizerincluding valve means for delivering a fine and continuous stream offuel to the vaporizer, mixer and burner means connected to saidvaporizer, said container being disposed to provide fuel to saidvaporizer and valve means by gravity feed, said burner means disposed toheat said vaporizer, means for preventing the heat of and in saidvaporizer from vaporizing fuel behind said valve means, means forfeeding back vaporized fuel under pressure to said fuel container,double chimney means, and means for selectively diverting part of theheat from said burner means away from said vaporizer and up one of saidchimneys.

6. Combustion apparatus comprising a fuel container adapted to be madeair tight, a vaporizer adapted to vaporize fuel from said container,means for regulating fuel flow from said container to said vaporizerincluding valve means for delivering a fine and continuous stream offuel to the vaporizer, mixer and burner means connected to saidvaporizer, said container means being disposed to provide fuel to saidvaporizer and valve means by gravity feed, means disposed to heat saidvaporizer, radiation baffie means for preventing the heat of and in saidvaporizer from vaporizing fuel behind said valve means including stripsof material disposed in said vaporizer to effect a baflling of heatradiation from said vaporizer to said valve means, and means for feedingback vaporized fuel under pressure to said fuel container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 239,112 3/1881 Philips 6740713,295 11/1902 Frost 6740 759,034 5/1904 Smith 67-40 921,904 5/ 1909Smith 67-40 2,111,239 3/1938 Elze 158-60 2,935,126 5/1960 Kaczenski15853 3,154,065 10/1964 Bencoe 126-44 JAMES W. WESTHAVER, PrimaryExaminer.

